My goals are to be able to maintain my health well enough to be able to continue to lift heavy weights, go rock climbing, and hiking (or other outdoorsy stuff in general). For those who don't know me (or don't know), I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and when it flares-up, I can't hardly move, let alone workout, go to school, work, etc. Right now I'm on some decent medications that keep things under some degree of control, but the new problem is that they supress my immune system, so I get sick all the time (I currently have a sinus infection ) and I have to get my blood checked all the time to monitor other bad side effects. I can't run at all anymore, and cycling is out as well. I can walk, swim, and use most low-impact cardio machines. I'm not supposed to lift as heavy as I once did, but that is harder to do

So, with that in mind, and having taken the last 6 weeks off of training due to a Geology Field Class, I hit the gym again today for a nice "Welcome Back" session .

Didn't feel like much weight on my back, but boy where my muscles feeling it, my legs are even wobbly after that little bit! Oh well, gotta ease back into these thing .

My plan is to do similar stuff like this all week, then next week start to up the weight and sets, and lower the reps in a standard 3-day split, and through in some more lifts. I'm keen on a good 'ol 5x5 routine, but I'm not entirely sure what the plan will be. I hope to rock climb once or twice a week, even if only at the local rock wall, and go hiking once a week because I've really got a feel for it after my geology class. Some days may be hiking and climbing combined, depends on where I go.

Good times ahead!

Last edited by Crystal on Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Crystal!
I'm very glad you are back and thanks for sharing a little about your situation! I have a similar situation with health problems and can really relate. I support your efforts to be healthy 100% and promise to keep up with your progress on this online journal

Crystal i read an article on the BBC they have found that echinacea can reduce symptoms of flu and cold and shorten the duration of illness. Supplementing with this stuff might help you out. Does eating things like pineapple and taking glucosamine help to reduce damage from the arthritis?

Thanks for the advice CollegeB, I've been taking zinc and vitamin C, but no echinacea right now, I'll have to pick some up sometime soon and give it a whirl. As for the glucosamine, I only recently stopped taking it after about 6 months 'cause it didn't seem to do anything .

4 July 2007 - Wednesday - Happy Independance Day Everyone!
~3 hours of hiking in the Franklin Mountains. I was planning on more, but my legs were still sore and my cardio sucks! Next week I'll try to go a little further a little faster

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